Not long ago, I met Commissioner Catherine Purcell of the California Board of Parole. She was the first member I ever met, and I was intimidated. To many inside, parole board members are killers of ...

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. When I was incarcerated at age 14, I struggled with the trauma of an abusive relationship and the ensuing ...

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. Top right illustration by Islenia Mil for The Marshall Project; Bottom left image Adobe stock; Bottom middle book ...

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. Photo from the Washington Department of Corrections In early June, a few members of the Washington State ...

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. On Feb. 2, a group of women incarcerated at the Perryville state prison in Arizona went on a hunger strike ...

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. One of The Marshall Project’s readers has spent more than 40 years incarcerated in a Washington state facility.

This story is part of a collaboration with Prison Banned Books Week 2026, an annual event that documents and examines censorship in prison. This year’s focus is on grievance appeals. You can read more ...

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. Early in the morning, on July 4, I was jolted awake by steaming coffee. I needed the caffeine to begin my intense ...

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. It’s often assumed that you can’t obtain drugs in prison. That’s an understandable misconception, given the ...

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. Photo Illustration by Sarah Rogers. Photos from Adobe Stock. A year ago, when I was transferred to the Mark W.